Free museums in Krakow on Thursday
Free museums in Krakow on a Thursday means a day on the right bank of the Vistula, in Podg贸rze. MOCAK , the contemporary art museum, opens its Collection on level -1 for free, and the Podg贸rze Museum does the same with its permanent exhibition on the district’s past as a separate town. In both places the temporary shows are still paid on Thursdays.
Museums with free admission on Thursday
MOCAK Museum of Contemporary Art in Krakow
MOCAK Krakow - Museum of Contemporary Art in Zab艂ocie, next to Schindler's Factory. Hours Tue-Sun 11-19, tickets 30/20 PLN, free Thursday Collection.
Regular: 30 PLN | Reduced: 20 PLN
Podg贸rze Museum
Podg贸rze Museum in Krakow - a Museum of Krakow branch in a former inn, on the story of the right-bank city. Tickets 22 PLN, free entry on Thursdays.
Regular: 22 PLN | Reduced: 16 PLN
Tips for Thursday
- MOCAK: you can read every label. Wall texts and work descriptions are in Polish and English throughout, which is not a given in Polish museums. Ninety minutes covers the free Collection on level -1; allow two hours if you add a temporary show.
- MOCAK opens at 11:00. It sits at ul. Lipowa 4, the same address as Schindler’s Factory. From the Main Square it is about 30 minutes on foot through Kazimierz and over the Bernatek footbridge, or take the tram to the Zab艂ocie stop.
- Podg贸rze Museum: permanent exhibition only. It explains the ground you are standing on: Podg贸rze received its town charter in 1784 and grew up as a rival to Krakow across the river. Thursday opening is 10:00-17:00 with last entry 30 minutes before closing; allow an hour.
- From MOCAK to Limanowskiego street. The Podg贸rze Museum is about fifteen minutes on foot from the Schindler’s Factory site, via Ghetto Heroes Square and Rynek Podg贸rski. The museum does not publish its label languages, so ask at the desk.
- Walk uphill afterwards. Lasota Hill with the small St Benedict church rises behind the museum, and beyond it stands Krakus Mound. An hour inside and fifteen minutes of climbing buy the best view on this side of the river.
- Bochnia: museum and salt mine in one trip. The Stanis艂aw Fischer Museum is free on Thursdays and open longest that day, 11:30-19:00. Bochnia is about 40 km from Krakow, under an hour by car, or a train from Krak贸w G艂贸wny towards Tarn贸w. The salt mine is a separate institution, and both fit into one day.
- Zakopane: a full day, not an afternoon. The Tatra Museum lets you into its permanent exhibitions free on Thursdays, but the fastest trains from Krak贸w G艂贸wny take about two hours each way.
See also
Temporary exhibitions on now in Krakow
Precious, Most Precious. Works from the Princes Czartoryski Library
14 April 2026 - 25 October 2026
The D艂ugosz Annals autograph, Copernicus's first edition, Rej's Zwierzyniec and Chopin's Krakowiak: Czartoryski Library treasures until 25 October 2026.
Art and Trade. Krakow of Craftsmen
15 May 2026 - 25 October 2026
The world of Krakow's craftsmen from the 15th to the 20th century - guilds, workshops, masterpieces and guild ritual - at the Krzysztofory Palace.
Krakow Bobbin Lace - A Living Heritage
18 September 2026 - 25 October 2026
Krakow bobbin lace, ten years on the National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage: work by the Krakow Region Lacemakers Association at Krzysztofory Palace.
Now Everything Will Be Different: Karolina Bregu艂a
18 September 2026 - 25 October 2026
Karolina Bregu艂a's films and photographs from Taiwan on demolished homes and a changing coastline, at Manggha's Europe - Far East Gallery until 25 October.
Tokyo Story
18 September 2026 - 25 October 2026
A Krakow painter found a mural in Tokyo that looked like his own and went looking for its author. Studio 2's search, at the Manggha Museum until 25 October.
What Do Health and Mental Wellbeing Mean to You?
1 October 2026 - 29 October 2026
Photographs by psychology students and people who have lived through a mental health crisis, made with Photovoice: Krzysztofory Palace, 1-29 Oct 2026.